Method for amplifying audio signal based on its amplitude and electronic device supporting the same

Abstract

An electronic device includes a processor. The processor is configured to examine the sound level of an audio signal obtained from an external object for a preset time; change, if the frequency with which the sound level becomes higher than or equal to a specified level satisfies a preset condition, a reference level, at which the gain value for audio signal amplification is changed in accordance with the amplitude change of the audio signal, for at least one section of the audio signal satisfying the preset condition; and amplify the at least one section of the audio signal according to the changed reference level.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
 examine a sound level of an audio signal for a preset time, the audio signal obtained from an external source; 
 check if a frequency with which the examined sound level becomes higher than or equal to a specified level satisfies a preset condition; 
 change, if the frequency with which the examined sound level becomes higher than or equal to the specified level satisfies the preset condition, a reference level at which a gain value for audio signal amplification is changed in accordance with an amplitude change of the audio signal, for at least one section of the audio signal satisfying the preset condition; and 
 amplify the at least one section of the audio signal according to the changed reference level. 
 
     
     
       2. An electronic device comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
 filter an audio signal obtained from an external source into a first frequency band signal and a second frequency band signal by using a filter, and for each of the first frequency band signal and second frequency band signal: 
 examine a sound level of a frequency band signal for a preset time; 
 check if a frequency with which the examined sound level becomes higher than or equal to a specified level satisfies a preset condition; 
 change, if the frequency with which the examined sound level becomes higher than or equal to the specified level satisfies the preset condition, a reference level at which a gain value for audio signal amplification is changed in accordance with an amplitude change of the frequency band signal, for at least one section of the frequency band signal satisfying the preset condition; and 
 amplify the at least one section of the frequency band signal according to the changed reference level. 
 
     
     
       3. The electronic device of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to mix the amplified first frequency band signal and the amplified second frequency band signal together to generate an amplified audio signal of an overall frequency band. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to identify a sound level of at least one section of the amplified audio signal, and post-process the amplified audio signal according to the identified sound level. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to change the gain value for audio signal amplification from a first specified gain to a second specified gain according to the changed reference level, and wherein the second specified gain is set to be smaller than the first specified gain. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the second specified gain according to the changed reference level. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 perform a comparison of an energy distribution of at least one section of the obtained audio signal with an energy distribution of at least one section of the amplified audio signal corresponding to the at least one section of the obtained audio signal to obtain a result, and 
 change at least one of the reference level, the first specified gain, and the second specified gain based at least in part on the result of the comparison. 
 
     
     
       8. The electronic device of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is configured to change the first specified gain or the second specified gain according to an audio-related function being executed in the electronic device. 
     
     
       9. An electronic device comprising a processor wherein the processor is configured to:
 examine a sound level of an audio signal obtained from an external source for a preset time and check if the examined sound level meets a first specified level or a second specified level; 
 amplify, if the examined sound level meets the first specified level, a section of the audio signal whose sound level corresponds to the first specified level at a first specified gain; 
 change, if the examined sound level meets the second specified level, a reference level for a transition from the first specified gain to a second specified gain less than the first specified gain for the section of the audio signal where the sound level corresponds to the second specified level, and 
 amplify at least a portion of the audio signal that meets the changed reference level of the section corresponding to the second specified level at the second specified gain. 
 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the second specified gain according to the changed reference level. 
     
     
       11. An electronic device comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
 filter an audio signal obtained from an external source into a first frequency band signal and a second frequency band signal by using a filter; 
 for each of the first frequency band signal and the second frequency band signal:
 examine a sound level of a frequency band signal for a preset time and check if the examined sound level meets a first specified level or a second specified level; 
 amplify, if the examined sound level meets the first specified level, a section of the frequency band signal whose sound level corresponds to the first specified level at a first specified gain; 
 change, if the examined sound level meets the second specified level, a reference level for a transition from the first specified gain to a second specified gain less than the first specified gain for the section of the frequency band signal where the sound level corresponds to the second specified level; and 
 amplify at least a portion of the frequency band signal that meets the changed reference level of the section corresponding to the second specified level at the second specified gain; and 
 
 mix the amplified first frequency band signal and the amplified second frequency band signal together to generate an amplified audio signal of an overall frequency band. 
 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to examine an energy distribution of the amplified audio signal, and change at least one of the reference level, the first specified gain, and the second specified gain on a basis of the examined energy distribution. 
     
     
       13. A method of audio signal processing for an electronic device, the method comprising:
 examining a sound level of an audio signal obtained from an external source for a preset time and checking if a frequency with which the examined sound level becomes higher than or equal to a specified level satisfies a preset condition; 
 changing, if the frequency with which the examined sound level becomes higher than or equal to the specified level satisfies the preset condition, a reference level for a transition from a first specified gain to a second specified gain, for a section of the audio signal whose sound level corresponds to the specified level; and 
 amplifying at least a portion of the audio signal that meets the changed reference level of the section corresponding to the specified level at the second specified gain. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein changing a reference level comprises changing the second specified gain to a value smaller than the first specified gain. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising determining the second specified gain according to the changed reference level. 
     
     
       16. A method of audio signal processing for an electronic device, the method comprising:
 filtering an obtained audio signal into a first frequency band signal and a second frequency band signal by using a filter prior to examining; and 
 for each of the first frequency band signal and the second frequency band signal:
 examining a sound level of the frequency band signal for a preset time and checking if a frequency with which the examined sound level becomes higher than or equal to a specified level satisfies a preset condition; 
 changing, if the frequency with which the examined sound level becomes higher than or equal to the specified level satisfies the preset condition, a reference level for a transition from a first specified gain to a second specified gain, for a section of the frequency band signal whose sound level corresponds to the specified level; and 
 
 amplifying at least a portion of the frequency band signal that meets the changed reference level of the section corresponding to the specified level at the second specified gain. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising mixing the amplified first frequency band signal and the amplified second frequency band signal together to generate an amplified audio signal of an overall frequency band. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 performing a comparison of an energy distribution of at least one section of the obtained audio signal with an energy distribution of at least one section of the amplified audio signal corresponding to the at least one section of the obtained audio signal to obtain a result; and 
 changing at least one of the reference level, the first specified gain, and the second specified gain on a basis of the result of the comparison. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 identifying a sound level of at least one section of the amplified audio signal; and 
 post-processing the amplified audio signal according to the identified sound level. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising changing the first specified gain or the second specified gain according to an audio-related function being executed in the electronic device.